Letter to the Editor

NOMA Conference & Ending Homelessness Symposium

It was an honour to attend the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA) annual conference & AGM in Thunder Bay with Mayor Doug Lawrance and CAO Michelle Larose. 
The Conference theme for 2023 was ‘New Beginnings from Lessons Learned.’ During the 3-day conference I had the opportunity to connect with all sponsors and exhibitors, watch the various presentations, and participate in the Annual General Meeting. With the learned information I will be coming back to Council with some new ideas for our community. 40% of all elected officials from NOMA were “rookies”. I am excited by that prospect because it means that all Northwestern Ontario municipalities have a wave of fresh-minded and energetic first-time municipal leaders who are ready to learn. At the conference it was great to meet and greet the many delegates who came from different organizations, which is great because it’s nice to know that there are options for the Municipality that are within our own backyard. NOMA was created so that Northwestern Ontario has a unified voice facing the various opportunities and challenges faced by municipalities around our area, and I believe that by working together Sioux Lookout can raise and face these issues with our provincial and federal counterparts. 
After the NOMA conference, I attended the Ending Homelessness Symposium hosted by the Association of Municipalities Ontario (AMO) in Toronto. This symposium was delegated by many experts throughout Ontario that offered various perspectives on the root causes of homelessness – including income insecurity, insufficient supply of deeply affordable housing, insufficient responses to mental health and addictions challenges, and the policy responses required by our Municipality to meet these challenges. While community and healthcare partners, the private sector, and our federal and provincial officials all have a role to play, it is the Municipality that must remain on top of these issues to have concrete and answerable responses. 
I will strive to continue working so that Sioux Lookout has a strong voice, and to represent this community as effective as possible, so that Council can deliver what we promised easier, faster, and better. 

Reece Van Breda